Process for removing carbon.



WILLIAM: w. JOHNSTON, or uansnamirown, IOWA.

raodnssron nnmovmo cannon.

No Drawing.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. JOHN- srou, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall and State ofIowa, have invented a certain new and useful Process for RemovingCarbon, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to processes for'removlng caked carbon from thecylinders of explosive en ines.

It is well own that in an explosive engine a coating or layer of carbonis formed on the interior of the cylinder and on the piston head andaround the valve which, after it has come to be of a certain thickness,interferes seriously with the operation of the engine. Many methods forremoving this carbon deposit have been employed and experimented with.Liquid carbon removers are only partially successful for the reason thatthe carbon does not readily pass out through the exhaust ports when insoft or moist form. It is desirable in the carbonremover that it shallbreak up the carbon into small particles and to take all moisture out ofit. These results are difiicult to accomplish with a liquid carbonremover and with such removers thecarbon forms into small chunks, orballs which do not readily pass out of the cylinder.

In some cases chains or other hard substances have been placed in thecylinder for the purpose of pounding the carbon and breaking it up. Thismethod is unsatisfactory for the reason that it does not touch thecarbon in many places in the cylinder and it frequently results inserious injury to the valves.

Probably the most satisfactory method of cleaning carbon from thecylinders is to take the machine apart and scrape off the carbondeposit. This is expensive and necessitates the employment of an expertmechanic.

The object of my invention is to provide a process for removing thedeposit of carbon from the cylinders of an explosive engine which doesnot require that the engine be taken apart.

A further object is to provide such a process which thoroughly andcompletely removes the carbon without any injury to the cylinder, pistonor valves.

A. further object is to provide such a process which is rapid inoperation and which entails a comparatively slight expense.

removing carbon I first melt together, lead,

zincand mercury in approximately the respective proportions of twelvepounds of lead, four pounds of zinc and four ounces of mercury. Thisproportion of the ingredients may be varied considerably but I havefound that I get the best results with approximately these relativeamounts. I cool and form the resulting compound into bars or rods andout these bars or rods into small particles, preferably not thicker thanone fourth of an inch in any dimension. The size of these particles maybe varied somewhat but for engine cylinders I have found the sizementioned the most satisfactory.

The composition just described will accomplish the results desired but Iprefer to coat the small particles or pieces with oxid of zinc as I findthat I get somewhat better results by using the composition coated withzinc oxid in this way.

Having prepared my composition, as hereinbefore described, I place asmall quantity of the particles or pieces in an engine cvlinder'v andstart the engine. The operation of; the piston gradually pounds thesmall particles to pieces and they are discharged from the exhaust portof the cylinder in gases and ash. The pounding and the heat resultingfrom combustion causes the disintegration of the carbon which alsopasses out of the exhaust port. I find that the carbon deposit aroundthe valve also disintegrates and passes out with the gases al-- thoughthey are practically free from any concussion from the particles of mycomposition. A 1

I shall not attempt to describe the exact chemical process that takesplace within the cylinder after my composition has been placed thereinand the engine started. I do know that after my composition has beenplaced in the cylinder and the engine has f are that it does not requirethe engine to he been operated for from two minutes to half an hour thedeposit of carbon within the cylinder and on t e piston head and valveswill be removed and on examination the cylinder rapidly when I use thecomposition coated with zinc oxid than when;I use it without 4 the zincoxid.

My improved process for removing carbon has numerous advantages amongwhlch taken apart. It thoroughly cleans the cylinder andv does not anany way injure thecylinder, piston hea or valves. The carbon and tiecomposition placed in the cyl-' inder are discharged therefrom throughthe exhaust port during the operation of the engine in a comparativelyshort time. J

I ordinarily put into the cylinder a table-1- spoonful of the smallpieces of the'com osi-f tion. This amount may be varied considerablywithout affecting the final result. Thetime required for the operationof the englue to cause the disintegration of the composition and thedeposited'carbon varies and is dependent upon the amount of the carbondeposit, the amount of the composition in the cylinder and the locationof the cylinder. It takes longer to clean a horizpntal cylinder than itdoes to clean a vertical one probably because the more frequentconcussion causes the more rapid disintegration of the com 0- sition andallows it more rapidly to a ect the carbon.

After my combination has been used it leaves a smooth clean surface inthe interior of the cylinder; The process may beemployed any number oftimes without injury to any of thparts. The composition is entirelydischarged through the exhaust port and'requires no-work to remove itfrom the cylinder.

I claim as my invention:

1. The process of removing deposits of carbon consisting in subjectingthe carbon, and a composition composed of zinc, lead and mercury, whenin the vicinity of each other, to heat.

2. The process of removing deposits of carbon, consisting of subjectingthe carbon and a composition of lead, zinc and mercury placed'inproximity to the carbon within a receptacle and applying heat to theinterior of the receptacle.

3. The process of removing deposits of carbon consisting of subjectingthe carbon and a composition of lead, zinc and mercury when in proximitywith each other to great heat as in the cylinder of an explosive engine,said heatbeing intermittently applied.

4. Thepro'cess of rem'oving'deposits of carbon consisting of subjectingthe carbon and a composition of lead,izinc and mercury,

'fwhenjn proximity with each other, to great heat-as intheQcylinder-offan explosive engine, saidghea't being. intermittentlyapplied,

and b subjecting said carbon deposits to repeated concussion from smallpieces of said composition. f I i ,5. The process carbon from thecylinder of an explosive engine, consisting of placing small particlesof a composition of lead, zinc and mercury in approximately the relativeproportions of twelve, four and one-fourth, in said cylinder, andrunning the engine until said pieces disappear.

6. The process of removing deposits of carbon from the cylinder of anexplosive engine, consisting of placing approximately a table spoonfulof small pieces, approximately one fourth of an inch thick at theirgreatest dimension, of a composition of lead, zinc and mercury, in therelative proportions of twelve, four and one'fourth, in said cylinder,and running the engine until said pieces disap ear, and continuing saidprocess until sa carbon deposits are removed.

Des-Moines, Iowa, October 25,1911.

WILLIAM W. JOHNSTON.

' Witnesses:

M. WALLACE, B. E. DEAL.

of removing deposits of

